Spring spear-gun.



Patented Oct. 24, I899.

w H. McWHlRTER. SPRING SPEAB GUN.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No' Model.)

N0. 635,386. Patented Oct. 24, I899. W. H. MGWHIRTER.

SPRING SPEAR GUN.

(Application filed Apr. 26, 1899.)

(No Model.)

cams PETERS up, wo tuurua. WASN NGTON n c NITED STATES PATENT DFFIGE.

WILLIAM HENRY MCWHIRTER, OF ALGOMA, MISSISSIPPI.

SPRING SPEAR-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,386, dated October 24:, 1899.

Application filed April 26, 1899. Serial N01 714,609. (No model.)

T0 at whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY Mo- WHIRTER, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Algoma, in the county of Pontotoc' and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Spear-Guns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a spring spear-gun-that is, it is a gun operated by springs and throws one or more spears through the block at its upper end into the bird or animal that sets it off.

This spear-gun in one sense of the term might be considered a trap or device for catching birds or animals, It is baited and set and when the bait is interfered with it goes off and sinks its spears in whatever has interfered with the bait. Therefore it is designed to catch all kinds of birds or animals and may be set anywhere, in a house or barn or out in the open air, and it may be set in any position, horizontally or vertically.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention, showing the position of its parts after it has been thrown. Fig. 2 is an edge View with the top part removed, its lower end in section, showing the setting device. Fig. 3 is a face sectional View. Fig. 4 is an edge View showing the device set.

My invention is described as follows:

1 is a block having vertical perforations 2 and a central perforation 3, said central perforation narrowing near its bottom to a small perforation 4, leaving a shoulder 5, and in this smaller perforation is secured the upper end of a cylindrical rod 6, secured in place by means of a head 7, resting against the shoulder 5-, and a screw 8, which holds the head against the upper end of the rod. Thus said rod 6 is secured in the block 1, but so secured that the rod and head may play up and down in the opening 3. A short distance below the head 5 is a block 9, firmly secured to the rod 6. Between blocks 1 and 9 and around rod 6 is a spiral spring 10 for holding the setting device in position. Said block is also provided with an eye 11 to hold the upper end of the throwing-wire 12 in proper position over the upper face of the block 1. Some distance below block 9 is a block 13, having vertical perforations 14, concentric with perforations 2 of block 1, and a central perforation 15, concentric with perforations 8 and 4 in block 1; Rod 6 passes through perforation l5, and the block 13 plays up and down freely on said rod. Said block has secured in its perforat-ions 14 two spear-rods 16, the upper ends of which carry spears 17, which pass up and down through perforations 2 in block 1. To the lower end of rod 6 is a handle 18, furnishing at its upper end a shoulder 19. Around the rod 6 is a spiral spring 20, its upper end abutting against the lower face of block 13 and its lower end against the shoulder 18 of handle 19. The effect of this spring is to push the block 13 upward, and consequently the spears 17 through the perforations 2 and above the upper face of block 1. These spears may be much longer than are shown in the drawings, and there may be more of them-forinstance, four or sixand some of the spears might be made to shoot out of the block 1 at an angle of forty-five degrees, more or less, so as to run into a bird or an animal no matter in what position it might be in relation to the bait.

The handle 18 is provided with a slot 21, and in this slot is hinged the setting device 22 on the fulcrum 23. This setting device is provided with a shoulder 24, under which the hook 25 of a rod 26 hooks. The upper end of this rod 26 is rigidly secured to the block 9. To one end 27 of the setting device is secured the lower end of a wire 28, the upper end being secured to the block 1. To the other end 29 of the setting device is secured the lower end of a wire 12, its upper end being formed into a hook 30, which stands immediately over the opening 3 in the block 1 and between the spears 17. The bait is secured on this hook. The coil-spring 10 holds the block 1 up. This in turn holds up the wire 28, which holds up end 27 of the setting device 22, in which position the shoulder 24 holds the end 25 of the rod 26 and keeps the device set. When the bait is pulled on, the

end 29 of the setting device 22 is pulled up. This throws the hook 25 from under the shoulder 24 and the gun goes 0E and the spears 17 are thrust through thebird or the animal.

Having described my device, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the block 1, having perforations 2, 3, and 1; rod 6, secured in perforations 3; block 9 secured near the upper end of rod 6; spiral spring 10 between blocks 1 and 9; block 13 adapted to work up and down on rod 6; spears 16, secured in the block 13, and working through perforations 2 of block 1; handle 18, having shoulder 19 and slot 21; spiral spring 20, working around rod 6 and between block 13 and handle 18; setting device 22, pivoted in slot 21; wire 28, one end secured to the setting device and the other to block 1; baiting-wire 12, having one end secured to end 27 of the setting device, and the other extending above block 1, and setting-rod 26, its upper end secured to block 9 and its lower end hookingnnder the shoulder 21 of setting device 22, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY MGWIIIRTER.

\Vitnesses:

J. D. SIMMONS, W. M. DONALDSON. 

